I see your true colors

Three Saturdays ago, Maine.
Two Saturdays ago, DC.
Last Saturday, New Hampshire.

Linda arranged a Fall Festival, and off we went. Concord and the shot heard round the world, back woods drives, random yard and estate tag sales, prep school visits, fall fashion photo shoots, a corn maze, pumpkin chocolate-chip cookies, dinner at a diner, a pumpkin patch, a hay ride, and hours of viewing the best leaves in the country. Yes please.

One of these days I'll get back to actually writing, but until then, enjoy these photos.

Boston is a Brotherhood

Yesterday, Mallory posted a video that made her tear up. Today is my turn.



Tomorrow night. Opening Game.

Monumental

Last Saturday, I was in Maine. This Saturday, on the mall in Washington DC, doing the monument marathon walk with my gal Michele. Like last week, the weather couldn't have been ordered any better, nor the company. Gosh I had a great weekend.

Mich has lived in the Nation's Capital (Capitol? where are my D-Mark copywriting friends?) for more than a year and I'm surprised I haven't been down there yet. In a somewhat random and spontaneous moment, I bought a ticket, and off we went. And went. And went.

Though the photos are gorgeous--seriously, could the color be any better?--the highlight of the trip was definitely the giggling and chit-chat that kept us entertained the four days I was in town. On the heels of a really rough week at work, it was exactly what I needed to reboot my system. Yay.

Tonight, I'm kicking it in downtown Dayton, Ohio. Glamorous, no? No. Though the warm cookie at check-in went a long way. More thoughts and observations of D-town coming your way later. Later as in tomorrow, not later as in later tonight. I still have to iron my pants for tomorrow. I haven't ironed in years, wish me the best.

Spontaneous

Last Saturday I woke up and felt like an adventure. Weather across New England broke unseasonably warm and I knew I had to get out and about. The still unpacked (from a 9/1 move) pins could hold another week, so Katie and I jumped in the car and headed north to Maine.

Why on earth there's a Costa Vida in Portland, Maine is beyond me. Last year we made the same trek to partake of the Western "Mexican" goodness. I'm a Costa Vida evangelist--in fact, I get random texts about once a month from friends all over the place telling me they're at a Costa and thinking about me. (Like I always say, it's nice to be predictable.)









The drive was gorgeous as the leaves were at their peak. Pictures wouldn't do the festival of fall justice--which is good, because there are not photos to be had. Also in Maine are outlet malls. Quite a few. And of course we maybe spent the rest of the afternoon in beautiful Freeport, ME with 65 degree weather; a picturesque town, a fabulous companion, and hours of doing whatever we felt like. +1 for being single. +1 for having a good solid job. +1 for living in the Eastern time zone.

You're on the ride, you might as well open your eyes.

Lately, I have these overwhelming feelings of joy. They’re scattered frequently through the monotonous and mundane tasks of everyday living and loving—and I’m consistently overcome with this brimming sense of rightness. On all fronts. All levels. I am inexcusably happy.

More than a handful of times I’ve thought about blogging whatever it is that’s piqued my endorphins for the day/moment/current thought process but don’t—due to timing issues, an unexpected flurry of work or personal activity, or the decision to keep the sense of flat-out elation in my heart for personal reflection only. My sharing today is for further-down-the-road proof to myself that I’m blessed beyond reason and have hope beyond realization.

How great was General Conference this go-round? Like last year’s Education Conference with Elder Holland, it’s in the hearts and on the lips of most I’ve spoken with in the last ten days. I’m not sure if it’s a generational thing, but my age bracket seems to have been supremely affected by the delivered words. For the first time in my life, I took notes through all four general sessions and have retained more of the words, phrases, and topics as I’ve reviewed my notes and basked in the feelings of the Spirit. That written representation is a formal reminder to me of what I learned, felt, and aspired to integrate into my life.

So it is with this post. I need a formal, written representation to act as a reminder of my moments of pure adulation, peace, contentment and joy so I can work to integrate them more permanently into my life. Like it or not (--not!--) the dark moments do and will come, but remembering the light does exist goes so far in pulling me back from the mental ledge. Let’s consider this a General Conference for One! I’m grateful for the knowledge that there’s so much more to life than getting mired down in the things that are both temporal and fleetingly momentary.

Gosh I’m blessed. And overcome to the point of tears.
Thanks for joining me on this ride called life.

Happy 4th

My work/blog balance is kind of wacky right now. (It's good to be employed. It's good to be employed. It's good to be employed.)

I just saw this cute (read: quick and simple) blog idea on my cousin Angie's blog. Go into the 4th folder and find the 4th photo. Post said photo. Done y done.

So here it/she is: the third of the Wms. sister clan. Kendall is as funny as she is gorgeous. This photo was taken right here in Boston last Thanksgiving--and is one of my all-time favorite photos. How can it not be, right?

And everyone jump up and down and cheer with me: my parents, Kendall, and Mallory are coming to visit in early December for my birthday. I'm the luckiest girl in the world!

But in all reality, I should wish you a Happy New Year right now while I have the chance. The next few weeks are trips to Washington DC, the glamorous Dayton, Ohio, Julie in town for Halloween, the Mediterranian Cruise of dreams, Paris, family in town, birthday, and I'm in Portland for the last two weeks of December. Time flies when you're having fun...

Scar's Song

I'd like to bear my testimony. I know my 72-hour kit is true. Not only did I eat most of the food* when I was housebound with a broken leg** (before my food was imported), but I was able to crack open my first aid kit this weekend. Being prepared is half the battle. (The other half is not using a knife as scissors.) I was all alone when I started bleeding all over the place, but Page 7 of the First Aid Manual, entitled "Bleeding", had many useful tips.

BE PREPARED.

*I grocery shopped in between sessions on Saturday for more food storage. How holy does that sound? A) Church on a Saturday. B) Buying food storage. A + B = Holy.

**I finally bit the bullet and paid my insurance bill in full just this morning. It only took calling seven times before I got an agent who could clearly explain to me how and what each charge was. The stars aligned against my favor--it's a horribly boring story. I'm sparing you. You're welcome.

Home Sweet

Howdy folks! Can you believe it's October already? I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that August is long gone. I feel like I lost two months of my life moving across town--one month in prep work, the other in unpack work. To a degree, I feel I've dropped off the map. Time to reinsert myself in both the cyber and brick-and-mortar world.

I don't know that I've adequately expressed how much I love my new place and situation. It's a win on pretty much every front. In fact, I'm hard pressed to find a con to my new arrangement! I could start the list, but your eyes would probably glaze over. So we'll keep it moving...

My parents love a lot of things, but three lucky motives combined in my favor a few weeks ago--their love of Boston, redecorating/handy-man work, and me. In just more than two days, my loving parents transformed a cold, white-walled, furniture-heavy apartment into a custom pillows-sewn, pictures-hung, shelves-leveled, curtained, planted, wall-papered wonderland. Not enough can be said about the grand change--I love it because it makes me feel like I'm at home; both in the literal sense, but also in my parent's home. It's a wonderful feeling. Come see it for yourself!

How lucky am I to have already received my Christmas gift too? Check out my gorgeous lamp below. That antique floor lamp was dismantled and oh-so-carefully packed into a box, checked on the airplane, and then lovingly reassembled in the 617. It's even more beautiful in person.

It's okay if you want to come live here. I do too.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

I hope this guy wasn't dead, because man, I sure walked right by him.